Ship in transit now with cargo. Be interesting to see outcome. Another ship is being outfitted by another company for the same reason. Having multiple users means more info to determine if the fundamentals of the business (sails on modern ships) make sense.
Trying to find info about this, it set sail a month or so ago. Apparently it has completed its first voyage.
Details (especially on actual fuel consumption) are hard to find, but at least it made it.
I guess I am skeptical since the “sails” are steel and therefore in no way removable in case of bad weather. It’s possible to ameliorate that by avoiding it, but given the liability it seems you’d be diverting more than a ship without those tall, wind catching steel towers, but maybe not. Anyway, interesting technology; but I won’t hold my breath waiting for it to carry on.
As long as I’m blathering, how about re-arranging the shipping containers above deck to produce a wind lift? What I have in mind is pointing them slightly like an arrow towards the bow, that would put their “behind end” in a staircase step that would give some wind resistance and push the ship forward (assuming the wind was behind it). But being shaped like an arrow, it wouldn’t significantly increase the resistance if the wind was coming from no another direction, including the front.
Yes, it might cause loading to include a few less containers, but that would pay for itself with less fuel and speedier delivery, perhaps? Any engineering types here who want to comment?
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However, the masts do fold down to facilitate entry into harbors and under bridges. This may help with the bad weather problem.
DB2
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